I Quit Sugar recently published a post on 14 things to do before 9am. It gave me a giggle. Most days, my husband has left for work before we wake, or is still asleep after night-shift, so mornings are usually my job.
I couldn’t resist posting my own counter-list, of 14 things that I do before 9am, and which many other parents do too. It would also be more realistic to say before 8am, if taking travel time to childcare / school / work into consideration!
IQS: Catch the sunrise
Me: Prior to sunrise, stumble out of bed when baby’s talking can no longer be ignored, or when eyelids are being peeled open by the toddler. “Mummy! Wake up!”
IQS: Get some Vitamin D
Me: In Canberra? Most winter mornings we can’t see through the fog. And it’s minus-something-degrees celsius.
IQS: Oil pulling (the practice of swishing oil around the mouth like mouthwash, for 20 minutes per day, to aid in oral hygiene and the removal of toxins from the body. I did it once. Never again)
Me: Brush teeth in shower and consider shaving legs, but decide there isn’t enough time before the baby starts whining. Sing ‘potato train’ upon request, while toddler drags his wooden train around outside the shower door.
IQS: A densely nutritious breakfast
Me: Breastfeed the baby some densely nutritious breastmilk. Make densely nutritious porridge for toddler. Spoon-feed densely nutritious baby porridge to baby. Scoff down some densely nutritious muesli while cleaning up the kitchen.
IQS: Check your emails, but not work ones
Me: Scan Facebook while drinking coffee and spoon-feeding baby. Feel guilty for not focusing on baby.
IQS: Meditate
Me: Refuse to engage in conversation while having coffee.
IQS: Write down your thoughts first thing in the morning
Me: Frantically write a list of all the things that need to be achieved within the next hour / morning / day. Always including washing and some form of baby food pureeing.
IQS: Make lunch
Me: Unless this happened the night before, it’s not happening now.
IQS: Throw a meal in the slow cooker
Me: See previous.
IQS: Prepare some vegetables
Me: See previous.
IQS: Exercise
Me: Carry two loads of baby bags, nappy bags and various other supplies out to the car. Chase the toddler around the car and wrestle him into his car-seat. Furiously scrape ice off the frozen windscreen.
IQS: Take a few deep breaths outdoors
Me: Strap the children into their car-seats and get ready to go. When toddler, who is toilet-training, decides he needs to do a wee, unstrap the children from their car-seats, troop back into the house, and wait for toddler to wee. Empty potty. Take a few deep breaths to keep calm.
IQS: Be productive!
Me: What is it that I’ve been doing? Oh yes – changing nappies, getting children dressed, hopefully dressing myself, emptying the potty, emptying the dishwasher, hanging out the washing…
IQS: Make Bacon and Egg Cupcakes
Me: Maybe on Sunday.
Dreaming of Almonds (and a nicer world) 
Just brilliant !!! I hear you !!! My exercise today was chasing my toddler down a busy street while having my 9 month old strapped to me and Labrador pulling my arm out of my socket !!! We all survived just !!!
Thanks for that I needed it as I’m doing the program for a second time and you just gave me the best laugh ever !!! X
I’m so glad you liked it Geraldine 😀 Just carrying a 9-month old around is exercise enough, without chasing the toddler and the dog too!
Best of luck with the program, hope you survived clean week! We haven’t – no way are we giving up coffee… xx
Hahaha so great. The description of Canberra cold was so relatable. At least we can skip the sunrise and enjoy spectular sunsets – Canberra has some of the best I’ve ever seen!
That is so true, I love Canberra sunsets – I always get a bit wistful (at the risk of sounding Jane Austen-like) when I see them because I know they’ll soon be gone!
This is my life all over!! Even the part about living in Canberra. Did I write this lol
I see there’s a cracker frost out there this morning too! Commence windscreen scraping! 😉
Tee hee! Love it!
Thank-you! 🙂
Great work!! Breakfast and getting everyone to school/work is such a frustrating period of the day!! Especially in winter!
Thanks Vikki 🙂 Winter mornings in Canberra are brutal!
I live in England, but I have two kids, a job, it’s the middle of winter…. It’s a global truth! Thanks, you brightened my morning. Now, where’s that coffee….
Thank-you Clare. Summer will be swinging your way soon! 🙂
Hilarious Erin!!!!!!! Everything that was my IQS lifestyle closely resembled their comments, except the coconut pulling lol and now my life in a nutshell pretty much is summed up in your quick and straight to it answers lol and also is a preview for the next umpteen years to come for me I suspect hehehehe
Leanne Hewitt xxxx
Hahaha and nothing has changed for me yet! Those days are many years away for both of us I think….